Specializing in collage, block print and scratchboard, Annika M. Nelson's work crosses cultural borders, stimulates dialogue between generations, and portrays images of everyday life and the environment. She has illustrated several books including Folk Wisdom of Mexico (Chronicle Books, 1994), Canto Familiar (Harcourt Brace, 1995), Pumpkin Prize (MacMillan Inc, 1996), Dancing with Dziadziu (Harcourt Brace, 1997), Child of God (Liturgy Training Publications, 1997), Dominga's Wonderful Year (Liturgical Press, 2003), and Colors of Me (Sleeping Bear Press, 2011). In addition to cover illustrations and contributory images for many national and international publications, Annika also designs logos and graphics for t-shirts, posters, banners, interpretive signs and interactive educational displays for businesses both large and small. She has also received commissions for a number of public art installations ranging from interactive murals to a sculpture series permanently installed at the Tidelands Park in Coronado, California. Her most recent picture book, Colors of Me by Brynne Barnes, published by Sleeping Bear Press has won these awards-
2012 Gelett Burgess Award in the Arts & Letters
2012 Friends of America Writers Award in Juvenile Literature
2011 USA Book News Best Books Awards- Finalist in the Children's Picture Book
She is currently represented by Kelly Sonnack with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. In addition to her illustration work, she designed an interactive installation for the Artist Lens series at the New Children's Museum in San Diego titled El Camino. This installation opened to the public on May 31st, 2012. She also won the Leucadia 101 Bike Rack Design Competition and began installation of three custom racks in 2015. To commission art work for a project or for information about past or current projects, please contact Annika at annikanels1@gmail.com or (760) 791-0446.
Client List- Doubleday, Harcourt, Chronicle Books, Sleeping Bear Press, MacMillan Inc., Scholastic Press, Random House, The Liturgical Press, Liturgy Training Publications, Cricket Magazine, Rock and Ice Magazine, Climbing Magazine, San Diego Union Tribune, The Oregonian, Patagonia, Elite Racing, The Children's Museum/Museo de los Ninos, San Diego Children's Hospital, San Diego Commission for Arts and Culture, San Diego Airport, San Diego Humane Society, Arthritis Foundation, Aesthetics Inc., Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, Solana Beach Recyclers, UCSD Center for US/Mexico Studies